Expression
by Alvin's Hot Juicebox
Summary: AU\\I was an art student, I was supposed to have the most normal and boring life ever. A hundred transfer students later, I become a singer, I'm put in the middle of a huge dramatic crisis, and I have to endure these stupid, heart-wrenching things called feelings. Yet for some odd reason, despite the whole tension that's about to make my head explode, I'm kind of okay with it...
1. Chapter 1

August 17 - 06:14

Today marked the start of school. Wonderful.

I was just soooo excited to go to school, you know?

And if you didn't get the hint, that was completely sarcastic.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my school, but sometimes the drama seemed to be too much.

It was like a mini-Hollywood crashed into our school, and all of a sudden, everyone acts too dramatic, they act too superior, they act like they know everything...When I mean 'everyone' or 'they', I really mean the music students. They act like they're all that, high and mighty, like the most important people in the world. And they infect everyone with their status: one word from their lips and you'd faint to the floor, that or go call a news reporter.

And boy, do they love attention. They make all kinds of scares all the time, whether it be pregnancy, cheating, suicide, or even going to the brink of drugs or alcohol, they make all kinds of scandals to catch students' attention. There shouldn't be this much drama for high school students anyways! A lot of people outside of the school even _thrive _on this kind of gossip, which our school newspaper and TV Channel in no way are trying to halt.

I was already walking to school, but there was still a―give or take―mile walk until I actually saw the gates peeking out of the horizon of my vision. Yeah, small town girl living in a big city? That's me. My house was three miles away from my school.

It's a prestigious art school with a weird name. VOCALOID Arts Associated or VAA for short. The latter was accompanied on all our school issued merchandise, supplies, and other wares. I had no idea where the first word came from, but I'm assuming it had to do with the music students...you know 'vocal' and singing... And all of the students were called VOCALOIDs, giving us a regal, prestigious status from our oh-so prestigious school.

I was accepted for my talent in painting, and my great grades in middle school got me a scholarship. I never thought it would count until now. But who cares? I was an emancipated sixteen year old orphan living in a small town, you take money when it's offered to you.

But my school wasn't _just _about artists. Art had a lot of meanings, which means our school featured singers, dancers, prop makers, makeup artists, musicians...anything with the word 'art' in it. We have everyone, you name it. Well...except for mathematicians and scientists. It's a school for art, we're supposed to have fun all the time! Kind of.

Okay, so my school is kick-butt and awesome, I know that. But I'm not going to lie, it's hard too. Over here, they push us to be our best, to train hard, to work hard, to become masters in our art...but here's where I'm lucky. I'm taking a painting major, so art takes a long time. I get a lot of time.

"Miki!" A feminine voice called out for me. Not knowing who it was at first, I turned around to see a girl with green hair running up to me.

"Gumi," I stated her name. "What's up?" And she caught up to me, we both fell into the same step. I befriended her at orientation. So I've only literally known her for two days. And here's the shocker: she's a music student. But she was a new student, lost, and I couldn't help it! She turned out to be amazing too! I loved the bright colors she wore, her neon green hair only a product of her imagination, her creativity, and happy-go-lucky attitude. Gumi got in as an amateur singer hoping to improve her skills.

"Our first day of school!" She nearly shrieked with happiness, jumping up and down while walking. She looked like a human bunny almost. I laughed.

"_Your _first day of school." I pointed out. She was a transfer student from another province. "I've already been here for a year."

"Right, right, but it's your first day of this _year_. Geez, if I knew you would be this much of a grump I wouldn't have caught up to you." She said and stuck her tongue out playfully, but it quickly faded into a smile. "But I'm glad I did find you."

"Thanks." I said and smiled at her. "It's just mornings you know. And trust me, this school is all about drama. The school newspaper and TV are like Hollywood's paparazzi."

And then a thought just came to me.

"Hey, we're at least a half a mile away from school, do you live far too?" I asked her. She shook her head.

"No, I have a dorm at the school, but you said you would come by the Mini-Mart at 06 hours to meet me so we could go to school together." When she finished she tilted her head at me. "Don't tell me you forgot."

My eyes widened as I looked down at her. Oh God I totally _did _ forget! It's like I got amnesia this morning or something!

"Oh Gumi, I'm sorry!" I said, and spewed a hundred apologies to her. She laughed and waved her hand dismissively.

"Nah, it's fine. Don't worry, like I said, it's our first day of school. To tell you the truth, every year of school I used to sleep in." She said. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Then what are you doing up this early?"

"This year my brother is going to the same school as me, so since our dorms were given to us late, we ended up getting dorms that were both at the end of where the boys' and girls' dorms meet." She said and smiled. "He's the best brother ever." She stated matter-of-factly.

I gave a drawled out 'ohhh'. I never got a dorm because I was a little afraid to get one. There were so many complications of having one. I wasn't one to fit in with new, random strangers (Gumi here is an excepition). And I was too scared to try it. What if they liked weird hobbies...like Black Magic or Insects or something? Scary stuff. Also, I'd have to give up my dorm at the end of school and find a new place to live for the summer (the Music kids don't have to move every summer, they stay in their dorms and are forced to take drill classes). I live alone, don't have any family (don't remember any either), so of course I have to fend for myself.

But anyways, I didn't want to think too much on this, so I turned my head forwards, seeing the school's gates on the horizon.

"Hey Gumi, I see the school." I said and pointed to the wide, black gates that kept those who weren't VOCALOIDs out and those who were in.

"Hey let's run there!" She suggested, clutching her bag tighter to her chest. Her eyes sparkled mischeviously as she grinned and looked up at me, and she crouched, as if ready to pounce on something, much like a Cheetah would.

I couldn't help it―her competitiveness was contagious. And I mimicked her running position.

"Okay, GO!" I shouted and we ran.

* * *

August 17 - 07:03

That was one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

I'm an art student, not an athlete.

Gumi beat me to the gates, while I trudged far behind her, worn out and with sweat that made my shirt cling to my back and sides. Thank God I was wearing white today, at least, a white shirt that I was sure wouldn't show my pit stains.

Luckily, I also had my navy blue jacket tucked away in my big hand bag. Even though it was near the end of summer, and almost 37 degrees (*100 F), I knew better. When it was hot outside, every room in the school kicked their ACs to 'freeze-the-students-to-ice' mode. Considering I spent most of my time sitting in the art classes, it wouldn't get any warmer, unlike the music students, who were dancing all the time.

"Miki...you look like you're going to die." She said simply, a bit bewildered on my sloppy form, the drooped shoulders, relaxed face, parted lips that sucked in oxygen like a vacuum, and the chest that heaved with uneven breaths.

"Let's...just...get..." I tried to breathe out, but I ran out of breath at the end of every short word, and I had to take a huge breath of oxygen again. I would never be able to talk again.

Thankfully, Gumi didn't have to wait for me to expend my precious oxygen to understand me. "Okay, yeah, um...sorry." She said and shook her head, giving me a flash of an incredulous look. "Let's just get to our classes."

I looked up at her hopefully, and we sauntered through the open gates (well, of course when one of the many school's officers scanned our ID cards).

"Look, I know we have different majors. So of course we have different classes...so how about we choose a place to meet?" She asked, giving me a seriously concerned face. I probably did look like I was dying. Before I could answer, she gasped "Oh!" and quickly dug through her bag. "I forgot, can you show me which building is my first class?" She asked and gave me her schedule.

With a slowly calming heart, and grasping my normal breathing attitude, I fixed my shoulders and let out a huff, before grabbing the thin piece of paper from her hands. Her class was C-3.

Let me explain, each of us had a building for each major, and one level in the building represented one letter, but each had a number of classes in it. Any class with A-D was in one building, pertaining to majors in singing or dancing. E-J was for art majors, which included anyone from painting to graphic designers, which was why our building was so big. Although, A-D was pretty big too, they had a lot of dance rooms and recording studios.

"That building." I said and pointed to Building 1.

"Thanks Miki, are you sure you're okay?" She said and asked me one last time. I nodded and smiled at her.

"Go and have fun. The higher-up Music students are kind of big jerks, but I know you'll have fun." I said, urging her to go.

Soaking in my enthusiasm like a sponge, Gumi flashed me a bright smile (which probably almost blinded me) and ran off. Leaving me to myself, and having the rest of the day to go.

* * *

August 17 - 09:41

New art teacher.

For the past hour, that seemed to be all I could think of.

Also new students.

Gumi was probably a fortune teller, it seemed like the first day of school all over for me again. Mainly because, I knew few people in my class this year (and my skill didn't advance much, so it's not like I expected to see a bunch of new students anyways).

Were they _ALL _transfer students?

Actually, the answer is yes. Yes they were.

But where did they come from?

Internet High School and UTAU Tech. The high school named after...the internet? Okay, that's not weird. (But to be honest, that would sound awesome. 'What school do you go to Miki?' Internet.) And whatever the heck the second one was. I know the second one wasn't a prestigious high school, it was more like a dump for high school-age kids interested in the arts, whether or not they had the talent. We had an influx of those...UTAU students. Which means bright hair colors and weird outfits for everyone!

If VAA was so hard to get into, who was the idiot that accepted all these new students?

In fact, one of those shiny, new transfer students were sitting in my seat when I got to it.

You see, the seat arrangements don't change, unless you advance into a completely higher level. I was higher than average, but not high enough to be a master at art. I was a lazy talented art student, bordering on a semi-professional execution. Yes, I'm probably the first art student to present my skill level as it is, and yes, I'm proud of all my art. Even if I secretly think it looks crappy, I never throw it or scream it's terrible like other art students.

Back to my seat though. I tugged at the side of my shirt nervously, which was a simple white Tee with some encouraging crap like 'you are a star' with a bright yellow star replacing the 'a'. I was really going casual this year around.

"Excuse me." I said and announced myself, though meekly, to the purple-haired boy sitting lazily with his elbows resting on his knees, his back hunched over, and his back facing me. I noticed he had really long purple hair.

He didn't turn around.

"Excuse me, er..." I said and gently poked at his back. I didn't know his name, so I couldn't grab his attention well enough. He turned around this time, I suppose it was the pokes.

With soft eyes, and a handsome, chiseled face that really made me feel like he came out of a magazine for shaving razors, he brought his face up to lock eyes with me.

"Yes?" The question was quiet, his voice deep and husky. I think I was about to blush here, I haven't seen an attractive art student in...

Okay, I've never seen an attractive art student in forever! The guys here weren't so bad, but most of them were delinquents or liked something weird. Like hardcore metal-screaming bands. I'm sorry, but those scared the freak out of me.

Then I realized he was talking to me, and I had yet to answer him, with the questioning look in his eyes. I cleared my throat, nervous. "S-Sorry." Did I just stumble? Oh no, had to fix that. Don't want to look like a nervous school girl. Oh wait, I am a school girl.

"You're sitting in my seat..." I said, trailing off, seeing him immediately reach for his backpack, but I started looking for some excuse to make him stay. I wanted to know more about him, hopefully he wouldn't be like the other boys. I was shy and I was easy to crush on someone. Whether it be fictional characters or the guys in the music club, I had a weak spot for attractive guys. Wasn't that what I was kind of born to feel like?

"...but!" But what? Your butt? Oh God I'm becoming a pervert!

"We can split the chair until the teacher announces a new seat." I said and saved myself. Smooth, Miki, smooth. And that wasn't sarcasm.

He nodded gratefully. "Thank you, I accept your offer. However, I'm sorry to have taken your seat, I didn't know it was yours." He said with an apologetic tone. Polite, aren't we?

He stood up, becoming a giant as he stood a head and a half taller than me. He smiled and then bowed down to me on one knee, taking one of my hands gently and drawing his lips near the skin of it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, by the way. My name is Gakupo Kamui."

God forbid it if I fell in love with this man right now. No one did that to me, ever, and I felt the heat rising to my cheeks, as my other hand rose to rest my hand on them. I could feel the eyes of the other students on us. And I wanted to turn around and tell them to ignore me and Gakupo's moment. But I would never do that.

"You're very polite, Mr. Kamui." I said shyly, and in my still quiet voice, I replied, "I'm Miki...Just...Miki." I said, not wanting to reveal more. Since I don't think I have a last name...besides my weird name that my foster care told me about. But that's not a fitting last name. SF-A2 is a weird last name.

"No last name?" He asked, slowly rising to his feet, raising an eyebrow. Suspicious already? Now I was nervous.

I shook my head, giving him a pleading look with my eyes. Hopefully he would understand that I really didn't want to be bothered with this right now. He took my expression in and nodded, giving me a solemn look, as if saying he respected my wish.

"So..." I said breaking the three second long silence we shared, which felt like an hour long silence. "You're new here. If you need anything, I'll always be here to help you." I said and smiled.

"Thank you, Miki." He said and gave me another one of those gentle smiles that easily melted my heart.

But then someone else came in, making a huge ruckus to alert everyone's attention to the door―

―And oh no, not _another _new_―_

Teacher?

Our new instructor came in, a brown haired man who nearly tripped over nothing as he walked in. He was shy, acting as if we were all about to eat him, and his glasses made him look more of a nerd.

As he shakily addressed the class, I wondered, was he even certified to teach art?

Then he saw the graphite pencils sitting on the desk from the old teacher's art table, where there were various utility pouches and extensions, he asked the class what the difference was between a 2B and a 2H pencil.

This was a world renowned Art academy, what the heck was going on here?

And it seems I wasn't alone with my shock, because when I turned to look at Gakupo, he had the same disbelieving look of shock I'm sure was plastered all over my face.

"We had a different teacher." I explained to him quietly, somehow retaining my manners despite my shock, "Last year. He was a little old, but he wasn't about to retire. I promise you he was way better than this."

He nodded slowly, still looking incredulous. I couldn't blame him, the buffoon of a teacher standing up in front of the class was soiling the name of our private, high-quality school.

"Maybe..." he suggested, diving close to the side of my face to whisper into my ear. "It's a substitute?"

I bit down on my bottom lip.

I desperately hoped so.

* * *

August 17 - 13:25

As my dreadfully boring and pitiful waste of time known as an art class finally finished, it seemed other people were a lot happier to be out. Like me.

Usually, everyone hated lunch. They sometimes questioned why we had to eat food all the time, and wondered if we would be better off being robots. So we could work our butts off harder and train better.

Of course, that statement came off from the well-known, dorky class representative of the Art-Sound Majors in student council, and a sound technician/programmer himself, Len Kagamine. His girlfriend, (though believe me, for a _very _long time, I thought she was his sister/twin) Rin, also took place among the school's acclaimed models/actresses. Though Len was fourteen and a real freshmen, Rin was thirteen, still a kid in everyone's eyes. She was so good as a child's actress, that she was accepted to the school early.

Rin was one of those people that represented what everyone thought, like a walking gossip magazine. She was cheery and full of energy (I suppose one of the qualities that children still hung onto―I'm surprised she hasn't degraded into a coffee―drinking, over-working drone), and sweet, but only when you get to know her.

And just to clarify, yes, she was near three-thirds of the way up to my height, but she hasn't hit her growth spurt yet. This is why she was still a kid to all of us―she looked _exactly_ like a seven year old. Her big blue eyes, the huge pink and white ribbons she put in her hair, and her short and kiddish looking outfits (like sailor suits) didn't help her look any more mature. Surprisingly, she was shooting to look older than her age.

So when Rin was walking up to me, happier than usual about being at lunch (as she usually complained about lunch interrupting a photo shoot or an important scene) rather than her class, I knew something was up.

"Rin, Rin, Rin." I said interrupting her rant on how beautiful the weather was today at lunch. She stopped, not fazed that I interrupted her, and looked up at me with her big blue innocent eyes. "Did you have any photo shoots or important short plays to act out?"

When I said that, it's as if a light bulb flickered above her head. "Oh right!" She said. And then her cute features contorted her face to look angry, her eyebrows both pointing downward, her eyes narrowing, and her mouth sticking out in a slight pout―honestly, this made her look like a six year old now, but one throwing a tantrum. If anyone ever needed a tour guide to the Fountain of Youth, Rin would nail the job.

She only added emphasis to the comparison I made earlier as she put both hands on her hips, yelling in her high pitched voice, "What's happened today? I come back to see only a crew of three students, and they're all transfers who only laugh at my talent. It was horrible I was stuck with them for almost three hours!" She said and started fake crying, throwing her arms around my waist. I awkwardly patted her back, thrown back in surprise by her sudden motion. "The pictures they took were horrible too, and they even suggested jokingly―though I _know _these perverts didn't mean it like a joke―that I shoot a nude scene. I don't shoot nude scenes, that's for stupid porn stars. Then I ran away to see Len, who complained that some of the light and sound boards were gone, and they were replaced. Some didn't even work. The walls of some of the studios weren't even sound proofed too, they later found out."

"Odd." I said. Unable to comprehend everything she said in the fast tone she shoved it all out of her mouth."Intermediate art had a new art teacher. He was clumsy, stupid, and didn't know the first thing about the different art techniques either!" I yelled, joining my complaints in our two-girl mosh pit of problems.

"Yeah!" Some random kid with dark green hair shouted, agreeing with me. I guess she must have heard our conversation. Eavesdropper. "The advanced music teacher was gone, no note, no nothing!" She yelled furiously. "We did nothing in class. And I was like, 'oh my God this is such a waste of time, why am I even here?' so the next thing I know, as I tried to get out, some more people got dumped in our class―transfers from low-grade schools!" _Been there girl, done that sister._

I recognized the girl as Sonika. At first, I was confused when she said she was an advanced music student―she was, but she wasn't in the same class as the snotty music students that craved attention (I promise Rin is different in this aspect, at least she doesn't lie or cheat her way into fame). Then I realized most of those music students were foreign language VOCALOIDs, which were mainly the Japanese and every other country but England and Spain. Sonika and another entire group of British VOCALOIDs took up the true music class. And I respected them, at least they weren't snotty and bratty like the other foreign-language music students. They might not have been the most popular, but they always seemed to have the most fun, and they never stooped down to the foreign-language VOCALOIDs' levels of sheer drama and unreasonable-ness.

And with Sonika's input, other students started to crowd around us, making us their personal psychologists (if being a psychologist means getting someone else's problems thrown into your face, then yes). They were all from different classes, different people, different races...different languages! And they were starting to give me a headache from all their loud shouting and complaints. I looked to Rin, who looked more scared than annoyed, like I was. But judging her small frame, she had very good reason to be scared.

I sighed and tried to ask people to move away, but they kept shouting. I pushed at someone to slowly inch a safe pathway from where we were, the heart of the crowd, to the outside.

Instead, my action was exactly like flicking at the head piece of a row of dominoes, the trail knocking down every domino behind it.

Instantaneously, the crowd erupted into violence―a thing I never assumed quiet, diligent music students would be capable of.

Rin screamed as I hugged her close to me, feeling pity for her being scared long before she screamed. She hugged me tighter, and I felt as if she were my sister the entire time. It made me happy to have someone to think of family, even for a little...

Oh God I was terrible to think of my happiness while a huge melee was going on around us and terrifying a little kid.

I soon became fearful, rather than happy, of my safety and Rin's as one of a student's punches swung dangerously close to my right temple. And a million scenarios of me getting brutally hurt and eventually dying popped into my head.

Where do I go? What do I do?

I thought of crouching to the ground, as more punches and kicks neared our bodies, but I immediately crossed that out. One of the worst ideas to make in the middle of a fight. But I knew I had to act as the big sister to Rin, I had to make sure she got out of here safe, so I ravenously searched through my brain for ideas, but coming up with none, I only had one last resort.

"Rin, don't lose your grip on me." I warned her cautiously, and without hesitation she tightened the arms around my waist.

My plan was to go into the crowd and take in the punches and kicks as Rin would be protected from my body. When close enough to the outer ring of the brawling crowd, I would let her go, knowing she would be safe. I would be beat up pretty bad, but at least this would make me feel better. Knowing I got her to safety.

So with that in my head, a last inhale before jumping into the crowd, I was pulled back by the collar of my shirt.

I instinctively yelped before I shook myself from the hand's grasp and turned around, closing my body around Rin's more, to shield her.

But it was Gakupo.

"What did you think you were doing?" He asked me, though his voice was gentle, I knew that underneath it, and emphasized by the strict look in his eyes, that he was probably angry with me for about to jump in a crowd full of brawling kids. I opened my mouth to answer, but he didn't let me even start. "You could have gotten hurt very badly, had I not stopped you." He said sternly.

"I did it so Rin would get to safety." I said. "I was about to, anyhow." And I matched the same intensity in his glare, the glare that wasn't angry, but angry at me for attempting a (okay, to be fair) stupid idea.

"You wouldn't have―" And he paused abrupty, as he reached out to my side, not touching me. The snap of hands hitting cloth rung quietly to my ears (the shouts and screams and the sounds of fists against faces was starting to deafen me). I looked to where he reached out. He was grabbing someone's aimed roundhouse kick, holding his leg firmly in the air. Only a few seconds later, the man who tried to attack me ended up sprawling on the floor. As he struggled to get up, his hand was stepped on by the heels of an aggressive music student. I cringed at that and covered Rin's eyes for good measure. Gakupo continued like nothing interrupted him, "gotten far anyway."

"Then what do you suggest?" I asked, sighing, only a fourth of it was exasperated. He gave me a smirk.

"A noble samurai never left the vulnerable in the middle of the battle."

* * *

August 17 - 15:04

What Gakupo must have meant by that cryptic phrase was 'a noble chivalrous man will beat up half the crowd so that the women can walk all over the defeated people's limp bodies to safety'. Because seriously, his strength almost scared me.

But it was really kind of cool. Rin thought so too.

After Gakupo got us to safety, she thanked him. And then she asked me if he was my boyfriend, quietly, in my ear, to which I blushed and shook my head.

But anyways, we didn't stick around the fight scene too long, we ran to find the main courtyard, where we rested, bought an iced tea from the vending machine and hung out.

Well that is, until the three o'clock bell rung. This is where our mandatory classes ended and our extra classes started. The chance was given to those who were in one major to try out another major they liked during the extra class period.

But for me, that was called the end of school for the day. I wasn't interested in anything else. I mean, art will always be my true calling, right?

I hastily waved at Gakupo and Rin goodbye, because I already had the adrenaline of a detective about to solve a murder case running through me.

I would find what caused the VAA to crumble in quality and fix it for sure. I was already running to the separate building that held all school related and administration offices. With nearly twenty levels, it was easily the highest building in school.

I had to find the answer for all of these weird things happening around here, because seriously...

What's happening to the school?

* * *

[Nian does not own VOCALOID or UTAU (which is only mentioned and no program of the UTAU is ever mentioned to avoid copyright).]

―Nian


	2. Chapter 2

August 19 - 15:21

Okay, so actually, before I went on some crazy sleuth adventure, I decided to give my school another chance. In other words, I was too shy and scared at the moment to go in after school two days ago.

I came back the next two days to the same thing. Still a bunch of transfer students, still horrible teachers, but at least no fight. By the way, speaking of the fight―it turns out no one came up and stopped the fight. Where were the staff officers and campus aides? There was a police officer at the gates that morning! I _saw_ him! Gumi saw him! Where was he when the fight was going on?!

Something was _seriously _wrong here.

So now I stood behind the Superintendent's door, nervously holding my breath and trying to go in.

I was thinking of barging in and saying some really cool (but knowing me, it would turn out really cheesy) catch line, like "Justice for the students!" or something really...okay I immediately crossed that thought out of my head. Bad idea.

But as I stood thinking of a new idea, someone pushed me out of the way of the door. I stumbled and almost fell, but caught myself on the wall.

"Hey!" I shouted, angered, and turned back to the direction of the door, but the culprit had disappeared inside the office, at least by the open door. Impulsively, and angrily, I grabbed the door and threw it open. And the culprit was―

Luka Megurine?

Okay, so of course someone like her could push me out of the way, it seemed there were no manners for the popular. Oh and was she popular. She took place among our school as the Original Drama Queen. She sung well, but her beauty and the way she flaunted it only tripled whatever fame she first had. Her bright pink hair made her commonly identifiable, and she always either wore skin-tight, flashy, or crazy outfits. I barely saw her when she wasn't back from a music video shooting. She is the most popular female VOCALOID, and the school newspaper constantly features news on her every move, ranging from "Luka Megurine with new boyfriend?" to "Luka's trouble with her career", even though none of those were even close to the truth. The only person who could ever rival her fame was Miku Hatsune, if anything, they were on the same level of talent and manipulation, but everyone knows Miku came first, and therefore is slightly more popular

The superintendent faced her with his hands clasped before his face, giving her a calm look, even though I knew the way she flipped her hair, held one hand on her hip, and stood in that position, that she was angry.

The way Luka had barged into the office, flipped her hair, and held a hand gripping her hip, she was radiating frustration. I decided to stay and watch from the open door, hoping they wouldn't shoo me out anytime soon. Luka had to be seriously ticked off―at least I don't think she would have started rudely talking to the superintendent if it were a normal school day.

"What happened?" She asked him with venom dripping through her words. I imagined her pink hair on a snake. Too funny. Oh and accurate. "Where's Hatsune Miku? Where is a God damn teacher in this place?!" She shouted, with an angry tone, but reserved stance. As if she could demand all the questions she wanted and get the answers.

But apparently she could.

"Miku left." The superintendent said, glumly. Sighing and shaking his head, his hands went to the sides of his head, rubbing his temples. "And because she left, so did all our funding. Not only were Miku's family so rich, but so were her sponsors. Basically, the academy ran on her money. Now that she's not here..." And he trailed off for her imagination.

So that was it? Luka's partner-in-crime and another top drama queen were _soooo _popular that they ran the school? Then what about the artists?

And unconsciously, I voiced the last question aloud.

The superintendent looked to the side of Luka to me, baffled how I was standing there, but hello, I never really opened the door, Luka just held it out nicely for me. Then Luka turned to me with the most dramatic swivel you could have ever seen, her eyes glaring at me, her lips pursed, and it almost made me feel like her hair could have burst onto fire. Geez, what did I ever do to her? But I knew she was naturally like that.

"The artists―" The superintendent started, but was cut off by the loud, shrill voice of Luka.

"The artists have no purpose, the real deal is us music students, after all, we run _your _school." And after her insult, her expression relaxed, as if she had just thought of something in between her comment. "If funding is so low for us _music students,_" she really emphasized on that, and I didn't like where this was going, "Why not just cut the art program for them? That way you could strengthen our funds, our quality, without losing the school's reputation."

I scoffed at her suggestion, but when the superintendent started stroking his chin thoughtfully, I turned to him in horror. How could he even _think _about that? Weren't we important too? Or what about the people who made everything the music students did possible? Like the sound technicians, the photographers, or the video editors? Or even the music students who played instruments? They were even more important than the singers and dancers! And they should know it too!

"I don't thi―"

"Run along now, kid," Luka scolded harshly, "Playtime's over." She said with a deadly glare and scowl so deep set into her face full of make-up and beauty, she looked like a fox. Lying, stealing fox.

The superintendent didn't say anything and looked at me with expectancy. And at my hesitation to get out, Luka crossed her arms over her chest and started tapping her foot.

I sighed, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment and my throat choke up with sadness. I was not a kid. But I couldn't even defend myself.

I turned around and slowly closed the door behind me, hearing Luka's voice before I fully closed the door say, "Now that Hatsune is out of the way..."

* * *

August 20 - 18:40

No school today, it was Saturday. School started again the following day, making our days in school a six-day-a-week thing. I heard other schools do five or four days of school, but not us. We have to drill in our talent and try to work as hard as we can everyday. But we get at least a one day break. Some of us don't even want a break.

But I welcomed it. If I could sleep in until 10 o'clock, anything on my break day makes me happy.

Not today though, I didn't sleep in, I woke up like I do on a school day. I was eerily quiet, even though I don't talk much, or to myself, at all. But even I couldn't even bring out the sounds of a hum or sing along to a song. I couldn't even play a song to cheer me up.

I am an art student. I was supposed to have the most normal and boring life ever.

I wouldn't get kicked out of school just for having the wrong major that's 'less important' compared to music, right? Besides, most people might see art as just something for fun, but it isn't.

It's what inspired music, it's what music inspires. They both incorporate the word 'art', they can't let one go.

But in my heart, I knew no one probably did care about the artists. Except for the artists themselves. Because it was my solace, my comfort, and I could use the blank canvas to placate any expression I had.

With these depressing thoughts in my mind, I wallowed in them the entire afternoon in the silent apartment I lived in.

Wasn't it odd? To have no family? To live alone? To have no normal last name? I used to think not, until I read books, watched TV, and had friends who pointed it out.

To be honest, I hated my last name. I wish I never knew about it, but the foster care god mother warned me that this was the only, if anything true, information they had about me. It made me feel like a science experiment. A2? Did I have a twin? Did I have a family?

I don't know, but I felt like an alien. No, I _was _an alien. The word 'alien' was meant to describe someone outcast or abnormal from the rest of society. That was me. Even outer space aliens would have more in common with me.

Feeling my stomach growl, I lazily sauntered to my refrigerator. A very small refrigerator that held nothing more than a few instant noodle cups and some soda and a jar of cherries. Cherries were my guilty pleasure. Hee hee hee...

But between the money I make from my paintings and going to school, I can't afford to buy as many as I want. Much less sit down and savor their taste. The tart and sweet, succulent taste that never got old. My hand wavered from the spot there cherries were and the instant noodles were. I eventually chose the noodles, with a heavy heart, even though I knew my body craved proper nutrition.

Maybe, everything would get better? Maybe we wouldn't get kicked out as art students. Oh but I knew we would! The Queen Bee Luka always won, using whatever talents she had to win over the authorities (and I'm not trying to insinuate here, but...).

Even though Ms. Miku Hatsune wasn't any better, I knew that she was the person I had to thank for staying at VAA. And now the person I had to scream angrily at for taking me away.

If only Miku was still at our school.

Then I wouldn't get kicked out―

Wait a second!

If Miku was still at our school, I wouldn't get kicked out!

Oh my God I can't believe I'd ever even think about doing this...but I have to get Miku to come back to the school. That's it! To save my career and the rest of the art students. Also to make sure that Luka wouldn't get to influence the superintendent. Oh my, I can imagine the horrors she would do to the school already. A totalitarian regime in a school, and she would be the dictator-ess.

But wait, why did Miku even leave?

* * *

August 21 - 07:00

Today I was speed-walking to school. Yes, school. Not Miku Hatsune's private mansion #2 or wherever famous people lived while other kids went to a magical place called school.

I passed the black gates at seven o'clock on the dot and smiled, perfect timing like usual.

I still had my plan to go get Miku Hatsune in my head, but I would have to survey the scene first, get a feel for how bad the school would get with Luka's influence, then go after Miku.

A part of me wished that I really didn't. Not only was I scared to go face her (though in my mind, I seemed like the most outgoing and bravest person alive), but I didn't want to face the reality that I could get kicked out. For lack of funds.

I decided to go see Gumi first, as I didn't have anyone else to confide in (besides Rin, who was no doubt with her boyfriend or busy―I'd go see her afterwards anyways) and I would have to tell her the truth about what was going to happen to the dream school she just started attending.

As she opened the door and found me, she immediately circled her arms around me and squashed me with her lanky arms and flat body, screaming while jumping up and down. All talk about the impending Luka-pocalypse was going down the drain. What friend would ruin their obvious happiness?

Instead of things going out the way I wanted, she dragged me into her small (though I have to admit, it may be bigger than my tiny three-room apartment) dorm and sat me down on her bed. I looked up at her expectantly, as she stared down at me with eyes filled with pure, and sheer joy. Never, ever, had I wanted to close my eyes this badly to protect them.

"Okay, what's up?" I asked, and shifted my eyes around, rubbing my eyes with my index fingers, taking a break from Ms. Brighter-than-the-sun's-surface face. "I've never seen anyone this happy."

"I got into the highest level for the foreign-language VOCALOIDs!" She said, well more like screamed, which broke into a high-pitched squeal that I swore cracked the glass windows around us. Then she brought me into another death hug.

I groaned as I felt unable to breath in properly, my internal organs being squished at the moments and all. And another groan, that she had joined the level of Luka Megurine and other famous foreign-language VOCALOIDs. I plastered a fake smile on my face as I asked her, laughing, to loosen her grip.

"Why," I decided to ask her, "Who would sponsor this sudden change? Did anyone put you on top? Or was it your talent?"

"I guess so!" She was still in a I-scream-everything-because-I'm-so-happy phase. "Luka Megurine, the school's most famous VOCALOID, you know her? She saw me and told me she thought my singing was top-notch and I deserved a share of the spot she was in at the top! I can't believe this! I can't believe I..."

And she rambled on her happiness, basically giving her Music Award speech to me right now. And I didn't listen to the rest of it, because, it's not that I was being ignorant or anything, but I was thinking this over. Luka Megurine stole my newest friend? Did she even know she was my friend and did it on accident just to get a crony? Or did she really know and stole her on purpose?

Yeah, so Luka had started already. No one could 'magically' get on the top of the list by anyone's recommendation, it would have to be through vigorous try-outs on why you were so good, that was then judged by professionals from higher schools (like Universities, although this technically counted as one, I suppose) that made the bar raised higher, which was better, because then you knew the people in each level was meant for that level.

Surely Gumi had to have more wit than this right? Didn't she know that Luka wouldn't just choose any singer? She must have met or read something about Luka that exposed what a brat she was! And besides, she of all people knows that fame and popularity can get to your head!

"That's great!" I interrupted her speech, and she stopped looking at me with confusion. "But...I really have to go, I'm late for class." I said, pointing to the non-existant watch on my wrist. She nodded with understanding and babbled on about how happy she was as she led me out the door.

As we reached the door and I was about to be off, the door about to be closed, already in Gumi's hands, I turned around and looked at her with a smile. "Oh and do me a favor?" I asked her quietly. She nodded for me to go on.

"You know, that Luka wouldn't like people with lower status' than her or you talking with you," I pointed out, and she immediately looked down thoughtful. Oh great, the fame was getting to her head, and I was ninety percent sure she would choose fake-success and popularity over just one friend. "And I don't mind it at all, I'm really happy for you―" I was actually sad for her, and I'm sure she couldn't read the sorrow in my eyes. Kind of like she died and I was telling her family 'I give my condolences'. "―so let's just pretend we never talked. So don't tell Luka we ever talked this morning, okay?"

She gave me a reassuring and one last, "Bye!" in her normal cheery voice, before I smiled and waved back at her, and the door closed.

My heart sank. I missed the cheery voice already.

I suppose all I could do now is visit Rin―

But right, I was already late for class, so when the 10 minute break bell rang, I realized how much I had missed.

I tried to blend in with the crowds of students that quickly poured out of their class buildings and worked my way through the traffic to the art building.

* * *

August 21 - 08:18

I had reached my art building after the 10 minute break bell rang. It was a mandatory break where all students had to come out and stretch and stuff, so they didn't get blood clots (one thing my former art teacher desperately stressed upon) and some odd diseases (which I doubted the music students needed). But really, not everyone paid attention to that rule, even though the school put it in bold signs near the entrances and exits of every class―**MANDATORY**. See the emphasis?

As I climbed up and reached the front of my class, I took a deep breath and took the handle of the door, and slowly pushed it open―

To see Luka making out with Gakupo on one of the art desks.

I closed the door as quietly as I could. If both of them found me out I would have been even more mortified than I already was.

OH MY GOD WAS SHE EVERYWHERE?!

Was she a weird psycho woman who _knew _that I had a hey-this-is-crazy-and-I-just-met-you crush on him? Or did she magically bump into him and think "Oh he's hot" and hook up with him?

Anyways, I couldn't help it anymore. I fell on my butt right next to the door and leaned my head back against the wall. God I was an idiot. A stupid, ugly idiot.

Then my angst feelings got stronger, and my head felt too heavy, like I was about to faint or throw up or scream, or how about all three?

No one told me that being an art student meant I have to endure these stupid, heart-wrenching things called _feelings_.

But then I tried to make myself emotionless―it was just a crush. It was just a crush on a stranger you just met.

A nice stranger who risked his life (well I liked to think of it like that, but maybe he really didn't at all since he knew how to fight anyways) for me in a huge brawl yesterday. A handsome stranger that proved to show that there was hope for the world and your picky expectations to find an artist that was attractive too. A chivalrous stranger that rebutted all the 9 out of 10 teenage boys that were vulgar and didn't treat women properly.

Oh my God my mind would never let me out of this!

I deeply exhaled. I couldn't do this, mope first of all, but second, think about it and make myself feel worse.

* * *

August 21 - 15:05

When the extra class bell rang, I immediately ran to Len's sound lab.

Then I stopped when I remembered what a poor excuse of stamina I had.

When I got there, I stopped the cute kids' couples Eskimo-kiss session. Glad they weren't going anywhere farther, like when Luka ravenously pushed against Gakupo's lips, surprising him and making him force the pressure of his lips down on her harder, just to beat the competiti―I mean, no thoughts on their make-out. Bad thoughts.

"Hey guys, sorry for breaking up your couple time..." I said, apologetically, and I was sincere..."but hey, did Luka do or say anything to you guys today or over the break?" ...but my reasons were a bit more important, and for the both of them, I hoped. Like Gumi, Len and Rin had dorms here. Which means they were more likely to be approached by Luka over the one-day break.

Rin shook her head furiously, seriously this girl either did this on purpose or had a knack for looking cute, because she looked just like a little three year old, shaking their heads profusely, their hair waving around and their expressions zany. Anyways, Rin didn't like Luka much either. Which I was proud of her for doing. She was amazed with Luka at first, and she was okay in the beginning, but then popularity got to her head. Which is the downfall of all good singers/actresses/etc. Rin promised to look up to her as an example and not become an airhead for fame.

Then Len nodded slowly, as if nervous and hesitant to tell me what I wanted to hear. But I was desperate, and my entire body shook with nervousness.

"What'd she do?!" I blurted out, grabbing Len's hand and holding it hopefully. Rin wasn't in the slight bothered. Which made me happy that the two had such good faith in each other.

He shook his head, and looked up at me with the equivalent expression of a beat-up puppy. Did I ever tell you he had the purest, softest face set in with the same big blue eyes as Rin? No wonder they were such a good match, they practically looked like the cutest two people on Earth together. Now imagine that as a couple. Mind-blowing.

"Oh come on, Len, you can tell me anything." I said, softly, giving him an assuring expression.

He inhaled deeply, then said slowly, "Well...I was bribed...to help in the plan to convince the most advance art students into school activities like Student Council or into another major, and kick out the Intermediate and Beginner's Talented programs..." He said, and looked up at me with eyes that basically mouthed themselves, 'sorry'.

Wait a second I was officially kicked out? By Len? The trust-worthy Art-Sound Class Representative?!

"But you couldn't tell me that!" I said, shouting at him incredulously. How could he do this? The jerk! And I thou―

"Miki, can you please let go of my arm? You're piercing it with your nails." He said, wincing. I immediately let go of his arm.

And how could Rin still love a creep who did this to me? When I looked to face her, I found she disappeared from the room. No wonder why it was so silent while me and Len talked.

Either she must have gone to get me a cherry-flavored tea to calm me down, or she must have escaped from the shame she faced from her boyfriend kicking me out. Either of those two would still validate our friendship.

Because so far, I've been going from corner to corner, face-to-face, to backstabbing and disappointment!

For all I know Rin could have been an accomplice for Miku Hatsune's leave from VAA too! Why not add that to my messed-up life already?

I know I was being whiny and really sarcastic, but seriously, I'm put in the middle of a huge dramatic crisis and what would anyone expect? To be fine after I lost my two best friends, my crush stolen away from someone you know is always going to be better, talented, prettier, and one-step ahead of you. No! You're going to get your heart ripped in five gajillion pieces and then served on a platter―but wait, it's thrown in your face, like a pie in a comedy gag!

I just couldn't take this anymore!

* * *

August 21 - 19:38

Wow...I guess...no I know, I really am kicked out of VAA. My school ID since then has been invalid. My records erased, and my last work, portfolio, and extra funds already mailed to my house.

I knew I would be at the top of the list when it came to who would get kicked out first, because I'm a poor orphan who's only good at painting, but I never expected it to happen so soon.

I never expected any of this to happen.

The TV series I was watching even echoed the answer to my thoughts, "Well, that's just life." The male character said.

I made sure with the office that Len didn't make a merciful mistake of accidentally forgetting to kick me out, but nope. The administration made it crystal clear with their harsh tones, "You're not a student at this prestigious academy anymore."

Well, at least I didn't have a dorm!

That's one positive thing to think on...haha...

Oh God I would have to go out and find a job if I were to become self-independent again that isn't on the summers.

If Gumi or Rin were here, I would have been bawling the entire time, even when they left. So many water to get rid of in my system, so many things and so much water over these stupid...STUPID...

Damn it! I can curse if I wanted to! No one could hear me alone!

No one would even care if I died in here!

I bet it would take ten fucking years until someone found out huh?!

Unconsciously, I was voicing out all my thoughts. Hearing myself say the F-word aloud...? Whoa.

But it felt liberating, it really did. It was light on my tongue, and it added so much emphasis to my words.

You see, I was a shut-in artist, I was pure and innocent, and gullible. I never ever wanted to turn into those people that cursed all the time, because really, the darker side of language scared me. The F-words and the D-words. And the...

Really? I just said 'fucking' and I couldn't even think without abbreviating it or making it less worse.

...Oh...my...

Oh God how did I turn from myself, to a crybaby, to a dirty-mouth, to a realizing-I'm-a-jerk, all in the past two minutes?

I'm really messed up here. _Really_. Right? I don't know. I was always alone, being the lonely orphan I was. I never had anyone to tell me what to do with these stupid feelings. No one made me cheer up in dark times. No one helped me get over my fear of lightning and loud sounds (did I just think that out loud? I mean...whoops!).

But now it was all hopeless. And I guess I had a reason to be like this. I'm heart broken in so many ways, and I'm devastated at the fact that not only was I expelled from VAA, I have to go back to another school again. _Regular _school.

There's no arts in regular school. It was terrible, and I hated it. I loved VAA. I loved VAA so much. If I knew I were going to be kicked out so soon, I would have kissed every brick on the art building (okay never mind, that's gross...).

I needed something to help me out, get me through this, give me a headache until I couldn't think anymore.

Then it came to me, thanks to all those countless novels, mangas, and TV dramas I watched that gave me the idea:

I might as well be drunk.

* * *

August 21 - 20:53

A local bar, and the owners still couldn't tell I was underage.

Exhilerating, right? I was about to drink―and I had no regrets. I needed this. Right?

Oh wait there was no one to tell me if I was right or wrong.

Sitting down, I ordered a shochu sake, and glumly rested my head on my chin, my elbow sitting on the counter.

"Hey, aren't you a bit young to be drinkin'?" A voice asked.

I immediately jumped up in my seat, turning to the voice, even though she said it quietly and not accusingly, I stammered and completely broke down under that single statement.

It was a woman with a red work out suit, like she just came from a gym or ran a marathon or something, her chocolate brown hair was cut short, that curved in to cradle her face. I knew she was an older woman, but she looked very young and pretty.

Oh my God someone had caught me! Red handed! Okay, just take me home, I'm a good girl!

"Relax," the woman snorted. She almost laughed at the wide-eyed expression I was giving her. I felt a little uneasy at this. Should I relax because she's excusing me? Or should I still be on guard so she won't report me? "I can tell you need it." And she gave me a wink before taking the one seat between us. I exhaled with relief.

"How did you know?" I asked and leaned closer to her, whispering. She smiled mischievously.

"I am the master of all alcohol drinks and all those who drink it." She said matter-of-factly.

What should I call her...a sake fairy?

"W-Who are you...?" I asked cautiously, but paused a moment as I thanked the bartender and took my shochu. She smiled and punched my arm lightly.

As if completely ignoring my question, she asked me, "Is this your first time drinking?" And I have to say, the entire time she did very well with keeping her voice low enough as to not attract attention to hmph, my age.

I nodded shyly. She clasped her hands together, "Wonderful!" She said, but I could tell she took extra effort to not try to say things too loudly. "You're my new drinking buddy!"

I was about to object, and to be fair, I had my mouth open, because no no no, this would only be a one-time thing, I couldn't do this. My conscience wouldn't let me. I just saw that on TV, even the most troubled teenagers go to alcohol to settle their hardships. And honestly, to forget everything, even for a moment, would make me feel happy.

Anyways, the woman ignored my protests, or maybe unintentionally interrupted me, "Of course, you can talk to me, no kid should turn to alcohol." She said and put a hand to her chin, nodding seriously. "So what happened, what inspired this downfall?"

At this, I sighed, at least she would listen. And that made me feel better. Even if I didn't know this woman. I immediately opened up, because stranger or not, no one had ever offered to listen to me before. "My life became the most twisted Korean Drama."

"Hmm. Go on." She said. I nodded, happier that she would even listen this far.

"It was my first day of school six days ago. I used to go to VAA."

"VAA?" She asked, her face crinkling in recognition. "That school for VOCALOIDs? That wonderful school of singers, artists, and more?"

I nodded saddly.

She furrowed her eyebrow. "Well, why aren't ya happy there? You must be an amazing VOCALOID!"

I shook my head. "Miku Hatsune used to go to my school." And I saw the woman's face light up in recognition. "But she left for some reason and took all the school's funding with her. I was an artist, like painting. Apparently we were too un-important compared to the singing VOCALOIDs."

"No! You just got kicked out because Hatsune's not there? That sucks dick!" She said and slammed the bar with her fist, which the bartender promptly asked her to stop.

"That's not all." I said, and she urged me to go on. "The next Queen Bee of the school, Luka Megurine has the superintendent, who's in charge of the entire school, under her influence and took my new friend, bribed my best friends, and stole my crush." I said and bit my lip on the last one. Did I have to mention the last one? Might as well, it was pretty heartbreaking.

"No!" The woman said, dropping her mouth open, the sympathy was all over her eyes. "That bitch!"

I nodded sadly, again. Even when Luka stooped this low, I couldn't call her a...a...b-word.

The woman put a finger to her chin again, thoughtfully. "Well...how about you go find Miku Hatsune, and they'll let you if you lie and say you have school clearance...then convince her to come back? It can't be that bad. Last I read the papers, that Hatsune would do anything to get the upper hand from Luka, even if it meant taking control of VAA."

I sighed. "It's not as easy as that. I can't do it." Then getting up, I put my money on the table. "I know I don't know you, but you are nicer than anyone I have ever met. No one has listened to me before. And...And I realized I can't drink. I really can't do this. I can't pay you back the favor of being your drinking buddy, but it was a nice title. No one had offered me that title either." I said sadly.

The woman seemed shell-shocked. "Wait, wait wait, where are you going?" She asked.

"My home." I answered simply.

The other woman sighed and took a slim, sleek cell phone...out of her...bra? She held it out to me, but half of me really didn't want to take it for the fact that it came out of her bra. I looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to explain herself.

"Take it and call your parents, kid." She said and laughed, as if it was funny I didn't know what to do when a cellphone was offered to me. Because technically, I didn't.

So with pursed lips, I gave her a blank stare and said softly, "I don't have any parents. I'm emancipated. I'll walk home, it's only four blocks." I said, those four blocks only leading up to three-fourths of a mile. I would be fine. My apartment was in a residential area, away from the urban city life and stores and bars.

She looked up at me with shock, and her mouth dropped open. She slipped her phone back in her bra (once again, creeping me out) and slapped some bills onto the bar, telling the bartender her thanks and then urging me outside.

"Kid!" She scolded. I looked up at her confused. Why would she be mad at _me_? "You don't just go into a bar at what is it..." Again with the bra phone? "...Jesus right on the mark huh? I got 21:46, which is right after city curfew."

"Wait what?" I asked her.

"Look kid, this is really damn ironic right now. I'm being a mom for someone who's had no kids, and you're getting a mom-sized lecture despite the fact you don't have parents. Emancipated my ass! Why the hell would you be out here unless you were expecting to be raped and mugged? Not only that, I can't believe I encouraged you on drinking! How old are you?"

Scared, I quietly answered. "Sixteen."

"Sixteen!" Her eyebrows nearly skyrocketed off her face. "Shit, I thought you were at least 18 or 19."

"Ma'am, I want to go home, and you are not my mother." I said curtly. Walking off and hoping she'd leave me alone.

No luck.

"You get your ass back here young lady! I'm not done talking to you!" She yelled. Now sprinting and not caring about my terrible athleticism.

I can ascertain that she was drunk long before I met her. But now I was really scared and I _really _regretted coming to the bar.

* * *

August 21 - 22:45

Yes, this crazy, drunk woman was in my house.

Yes, she was being annoying and nagging.

But she listened to me, helped me get back to my house safely, and gave me a huge lecture on why alcohol is bad for you.

She also took one look at my artwork and muttered, "I knew I liked you from the minute I saw you kid...real talent, right here."

Which made me flush with happiness. At least someone appreciated my art.

Oh by the way, her name was Meiko. And an hour later, I was ready to claim her my foster mom.

It was one of those relationships you didn't get at first, and then you fought, and then out of that fighting came love? Yeah that doesn't make any sense. And all those dramas and stuff never prepared me for this kind of relationship.

And one last yes, I took my relationship with Meiko as the closest thing to friendship, now that I was kicked out of VAA and friendless.

"Hey Miki..." Meiko said and cleared her throat. "It's getting late, and you should be asleep by now."

"But Mei―"

"No buts, you are going to sleep if I tell you to." She said sternly and shook her finger. "I'm going to leave, but you take it easy, alright?"

"Alright."

"And hey, don't give up on finding Hatsune and convincing her to get back into the school. There's no such thing as '_I can't_'s and '_It's not easy as that_'s in your vocabulary, okay?" She said stubbornly.

"I know but how can I even―"

"I'll help you. You just think of a plan, okay? Good night, kiddo." Meiko said, and left, closing the door behind her.

After Meiko left, I locked the door behind her and plopped on my bed.

Should I stick to the original plan?

I don't know. So many things happened today...such a whirlwind of emotions. Oh right, it's a rollercoaster of feelings. My heart hurts.

At this point I was still so hopeless and lost, I had indifference towards everything.

Fine, I would go find Miku Hatsune. I would try to get her to come back to VAA. I would stop Luka's evil reign of terror.

And...it was all said half-heartedly.

Maybe I did mean it, but I was too tired, and decided to shut out my thoughts and just go to sleep.

I still had that thought lingering in my head...

What if I failed?


	3. Chapter 3

August 23 - 07:16

Look, I was thinking about the entire thing yesterday. And to be honest, I'm probably in denial (well don't denial patients _deny _that they are in denial anyway?) and really confused.

It still hurts to think the girl I would have gladly claimed a little sister a week ago betrayed me and helped kick me out. Maybe fame did get to her head too? And she now realized how worthless I was to her?

I don't know, but in the end I couldn't help but find myself wandering to the gates of VAA.

Just to find out if it was true. Oh here it is, it's not denial, I'm just refusing to believe in reality. Because maybe, it's all a dream. Or something weird like that.

Though I reached school at my checkpoint of 7 o'clock, it took me about ten or so minutes to get through the officer (scratch that, there's two now. Apparently the artists took up such a big budget that we limited their security), because, as the registration counselors warned me, my student ID was invalid.

The first was okay with letting me in, after five minutes of staring at me, but the second was hesitant the entire way. I made up the excuse that I needed to pick up some supplies left from my old art class, but they weren't easily fazed. They knew the rules of the school through and through, and they knew that all my remaining supplies and things would be mailed to my home, but I lied again and said I left stuff in the classroom.

Eventually, they let me in, because I guess standing there for ten minutes made me so persistent. Also, they gave me a thirty minute limit.

I could do this in thirty minutes. Really, Rin was the last and only excuse to come into VAA ever again.

So as soon as they let me pass, I ventured with a longer stride to Rin's dorm.

As she answered the door, she seemed to be in a rush, as I opened the door to her crazy hair that wasn't brushed, frizzy strands sticking out in each direction, a shirt that was backwards, and her pants and shoes were fine―never mind, she still had pink, fuzzy bunny slippers on them. She must have just woken up and realized she was late for class. Something she didn't wake up late to usually.

She had a scowl on her face, that immediately changed into an open-mouthed stare and a quiet muttering of my name, "Miki..." as if I were a ghost.

But I was real. She probably didn't realize I also had a real heart. And real feelings either.

"Hey." I said my voice tainting my words with the faintest touches of my anger. There was only one word and question I had for her: "Why?"

She gave me a cold stare. "I had to." She said.

She had to? What does she mean?

"You had to?" I asked. "Do you know what this academy did for me? It was my life. My safe, comfortable life."

She clenched her jaw. "I know, but you guys didn't belong here. You would be better off at an art _university_, but this school was better off with singers, musicians, and people in the performing arts. That's all anyone ever cared about in this place anyways. No one did any news on the other VOCALOIDs but the one in the performing arts. Did you know we used to have a culinary arts program? That was whiped out too, because it was deemed worthless. And it was. All of them could go to a different _university_, with the talent they had―"

Oh my god she was sounding more evil with every word that came out of her mouth.

I almost grimaced at her old qualities, admirable that she still retained her chatty mouth even when she easily threw away our friendship two days ago.

Nevertheless, I interrupted her. "Did you know that some kids can't get into university no matter their age, but by their regular grades? They might not make it to university, even if they are better than all the artists and cooks out there. They had a chance here, that's what they had. They didn't have to worry about being the worst, they had to worry about doing their best. And that's what it was, if you didn't do your best, you'd get kicked out, simple as that. And that's all they ever did, and they got kicked out because they weren't important in someone else's eyes? That's discrimination, Rin, I thought you had more tact!"

"It's not, it's a simple matter of who likes who, people care more about music and dancing than cooking and painti―"

I threw my arms up in the air. She really was a kid after all, with the small brain she had!

"We _live _off of food, did you know that? Did you know someone is in charge of making your food?" I asked her, sarcastically. With the same tone you'd try to explain how the alphabet worked to a five year old. This was it, I was getting frustrated. "All those fancy colors on your walls too, did you know people made up those colors?" I added, pointing to the orange and yellow walls lighting up her dorm.

She snarled at me this time, "You don't get it."

"No," I said, shaking my head and glaring at her, "you don't get it! This school is a means of _expression _for everyone of us. These kids, this school, was meant for kids like us to express ourselves. Rising to the top was never the goal of the school, the goal implanted in our heads the first day we came here. And you just disobeyed it. You are now an airhead, goodbye Rin."

I turned away and started walking back to the gates.

Talking to people, getting the "closure" I needed, didn't work anymore. Nothing was working. Everyone hated me or turned into ignorant freaks.

I let out a long, shaky sigh, that almost erupted into a sob, as I sat down in front of the closed gates of VAA. I wasn't going to look back. I put my head in my hands and just sat and thought for a while.

I need a plan. I need a plan. I need a great, freaking plan right now. Or someone to tell me what to do.

I wasn't keeping track of the time (I never was, I never carried around a watch, and I never spent extra money on a cellphone), but I heard some commotion around me, and footsteps getting closer to me.

If it was an officer telling me to get off the school grounds―just no, I couldn't take it at the moment. I just need some time to think. I always had a plan, always had a new step to take, or a new place to go forward, until now.

"Arvo, mate." A perky, female voice thick with an accent I couldn't recognize came from my right. I lifted my face out of my hands and looked to the owner of the voice. A tan blonde, with a smile that shone with happiness. Her hair was curly and blonde, and was drawn back in a ponytail, she was wearing a light yellow dress, and she looked nice. She almost looked like the sun's female personification. But one of those cartoon-y, smiling suns from the '70s.

"What?" I asked, confused, and I blinked. Did she speak a different language?

"Oh," in her accent that sounded more like 'aww', "I was only sayin' 'ello, mate. Not being a stickybeak, but I saw ya on the footpath 'ere."

I did not understand a word she said. Stickybeak? Footpath? Did she mean sidewalk? Where was a dictionary when I needed it?

"Do you speak English?" I asked her, hopelessly confused. She frowned and tilted her head, her curly hair following her head movement.

"What ya reckon'? 'Course I do!" She exclaimed. I sighed, maybe I didn't know English well enough. Or something.

Then she instantly stiffened, as if a light bulb went off in her head, and asked me, "Aw, ya think my accent's a bit off than the Queen's English, eh? I speak a bit 'o Strine, here 'o there." She explained. "I'm an Aussie, through and through."

Giving her a look of confusion, may I add, for the fiftieth time, she smiled at me again and cleared her throat.

"Sorry about that." She said in a pure English accent. "I'm from Australia. I'm Sweet Ann, you?"

"O-Oh...sorry about that." I said sheepishly, my cheeks flushing, I was embarrassed that I didn't even make myself clear. "I'm Miki." Then realizing something, I quickly added, "Hey, aren't you a music VOCALOID?"

"You got that right." Her accent didn't waver in the slightest, and all that Strine she was speaking sounded like a distant past. "But as of right now, I am officially expelled." she said, still in her cheery voice.

"Are you _happy _about that?" I asked her, baffled she would even say that in a happy tone.

"Nope, not at all." She said and frowned, her mask of happiness instantly collapsing, and wrinkles and marks of stress clasping her skin together in worry lines and frowns. I think I liked her better when she was smiling and hiding her sadness. "I never did anything wrong, I-I always tried my best, I...I don't even..." And at this point, I realized she was about to cry.

I scooted closer to her and put my arm around her comfortingly. I didn't have anyone with me when I faced the realization that I was kicked out, but no one, not even Ann, had to go through this alone.

She instantly took my comfort and started crying into my shoulder, wrapping her arms around my waist. Her body shook with her sobs and she made gargled cacophonies of pain and her tears started soaking my shirt. I was now wearing a pink Tee that said, 'You can do it!' on the front (I usually got my shirts free, so my fashion taste was really bad). I'm pretty sure she would burst into tears if she saw the front. I patted her back gently.

And let me tell you, this was one of the saddest things I have ever seen.

Sweet Ann was a good music student, I had heard her songs played through the academy, I've seen her in the news (well, if I ever even bothered to pick it up), she sung well, she was pretty, and just a look at her personality―she was probably the nicest person I had ever met. She didn't deserve this. And it only made me angrier.

Nice people didn't deserve to have mean people hurt them.

"Why did you get kicked out?" I decided to ask, to know if Luka really had something to do with this.

"Because...because..." she stuttered and sobbed, breaths of air coming into her lungs with huge heaves that I could hear, she's probably never cried in her life. I bet, because if there were a wrong way to cry, she was doing it. She took a few breaths of air, trying to calm herself before sitting back up and wiping her eyes. Sniffling, she answered quietly in a hoarse voice, "'_The Japanese VOCALOIDs are better than the English'_, so they expelled us all. It was the superintendent who sent the message from that Japanese VOCALOID, Luka Megurine."

That's it. Luka was discriminating against the _original _meaning of art, meaning us painting, drawing, sculpting, etc. art students, deliberately bribed students, bribed the students and faculty into corrupting the school system, and now she was being _racist_?!

I was _not _going to let her get away this. I realized it was obvious, the one person who could get all of us back in was Miku Hatsune. I had to find her and get her to come back. And that was my plan.

* * *

August 23 - 17: 28

Miku Hatsune wasn't spending her free time in extravagant super huge mansion #2, she was giving concerts non-stop since the beginning of _July_.

Well, thank you, Mr. Superintendent for alerting the rest of the students for this fact. Geez, seriously, he was too sloppy.

And she didn't _leave_, well, she did technically, but her popularity grew so much outside of the school, that she had to go out and become a performing star this early. What was she 15? 16? I don't know, but she was really young! Which kind of amazed me, if I didn't have such a bad opinion of her.

After a long talk with Ann (that went through lunch―I wasn't hungry anyway, I couldn't when I was this stressed), I immediately jumped to the cause to find Miku Hatsune and confront her. With Meiko's help, she drove me to Miku's next concert (with her _wonderful _driving skills, by the way) and helped me come up with a lie to get in.

I used my student ID and said that I needed to give her the final details on important school information about her, which the security guards believed and let me in―but actually, being 'let in', meant waiting in a line of other high priority people waiting to meet Miku Hatsune.

And that was a lot of people. I almost spent three hours waiting.

When I finally got into her dressing room, (with another set of security guards standing by the door and monitoring my every movement) and I got the chance to talk to her―

"Miku, you're on in 40." The stage hand called from the open door, and I gaped at him. I knew stage slang. 40 meant forty seconds.

I only got _forty seconds_, to explain the entire thing to her?

"What is it?" She asked, irritated, as she applied more powder to her nose and cheeks, not even looking at me. But I was glad she said that, or else I would have wasted my entire forty seconds up by just staring at the open door. Now I was pressed for time, and antsy.

"Look, VAA has gotten so much worse with you!" I exclaimed. She raised an eyebrow, but switched to eyeliner in her mirror, and still didn't look at me. "Half the school has been expelled, even half of the music students. At least the ones that weren't Japanese...actually, everyone." Yes, Ann had explained the story to me. All transfers (except for the talented ones) and races besides Japanese were expelled out of the school, with no regard to their major. Racist, huh?

"And this is my problem?" She asked flatly. I exhaled sharply.

"No, but―well, yes..uh sort of?" I said weakly, oh God this was hard! It was like de-activating a time bomb, how much time did I have left? No I didn't have any time oh my God oh my God oh my God―

"Well, no it isn't. That school wasn't suited for my talents." She scoffed. "And who needs to be tied down to a _high school_, anyways? I'm doing more successful than anyone in that school, and making millions by the day, even though I just turned fifteen." She said with a high-pitched, fake lilt in her voice.

Wow. Okay, even though she was flaunting it, that was impressive.

"On in twenty." The stage hand called again. I impulsively turned to him.

"Shut up and get out!" I screeched. I don't care if that uncharacteristic of me, I was really pressured! It was like saying, 'oh and by the way, there are millions of people in this building if you cut the wrong wire'. And I was too annoyed. The stage hand scampered away.

Miku zipped her make-up bag close, she rubbed the ends of her eyes, and smacked her lips one last time in the mirror, before jumping off her chair and striding to the door.

Oh no she's leaving! Shoot shoot shoot! Ahh! She can't leave!

I nervously followed her as I shot my last attempts at her, stuff along the lines of 'we need you!' and 'come back!' The only thing that got her to turn around in the end was when I mentioned Luka. "Luka's taken over the school, she's gotten her influence over the superintendent and is officially the top VOCALOID of the school." I said, remembering what Meiko said about Miku and Luka's competitiveness. "She's finally won against you."

Miku was three steps away from the stage, her long, aquamarine, twin-tailed hair barely camouflaged by the edge of the sparkly blue curtains. Her fans screaming and shouting, that I thought her reply would be drowned in the sea of her supporters. But no, I heard her shrill voice crystal clear.

She laughed, to my horror. She laughed as if I told her I decapitated Luka's head and she turned into a singing octopus. Then she wiped at her left eye and gave me an evil smirk.

"That bitch won? No." She said. "She can be a slut and fuck with whoever she wants in the school and I won't care. You know why? I'm famous now. I've won. She's stuck in that stupid school, while I'm out here living my career out. That's why, I've won." And she turned around and started walking towards the stage, waving at her fans.

She turned to me one last time, before going to the center, and gave me an icy stare, coupled with her fake smile. She held her microphone away from her mouth.

"I am done with that place. VAA can go burn in Hell."

* * *

September 9 - 18:43

Well, that was it. The fight was over. If Miku Hatsune wasn't coming back, then no one else could.

All of my dreams of going back to VAA were a distant daydream.

Now I spent most of my time on the weekdays trying to make myself self-sufficient financially, by working at one of those high-class restaurant as the busboy...girl.

I haven't chosen a school yet. And I kind of don't want to go back to..._regular _high school. A dull place full of the same teachers, students, and setting. We would all have to wear uniforms again (though my terrible fashion sense didn't help my case at all), the girls in short skirts and shirts. It would probably be an all-girl school anyways. The worst part is that _regular _high school had no art classes, nothing to express our true feelings with. I was not looking forward to that.

Sweet Ann and me had become better friends since then. I suppose it's because we're the outcasts of a school that once was...famous and prestigious. Made exactly for people like us, who want to express the talents we have, but can't in regular high school. But really, I knew she was a different type of happy. It was more genuine than Gumi's perky cheeriness. Although Ann drew a lot of similars with her. Sweet Ann was a lot more selfless, always asking about me and my day, always encouraging my paintings, giving me suggestions, making me laugh. I sometimes realized...how was she a music VOCALOID and this nice?

She was the prime example of how the music VOCALOIDs should have been, personality-wise. Why couldn't everyone be like her?

Meiko offered to help me out, give me money, even told me she could become my official guardian and I could stay in her house while she financed the both of us (but the real mystery was...how did she get money? Especially with her drinking habits), but I turned her down. I didn't want to be a burden to anyone (despite her arguments that I wasn't) and I didn't want to be dependent on anyone either. I had always been fending for myself, why stop now?

Instead, she said that she would make my meals and I couldn't refuse her. So she always stopped by my house in the morning, giving me some wonderfully cooked noodles that she would crack a raw egg over, the egg cooking by the mere heat of the noodles. Then she would meet me at my lunch break in the restaurant, and then again pick me up and give me another delicious meal in the afternoon. Once again, with my financial status, you always took free things when it was offered to you.

It was a Friday today, and it looked like we would close up soon. It was almost seven, after all. There were just a few customers left in the building. I sighed and picked up all the dishes on the table that was recently left alone and strode into the kitchen, where I dropped the dishes into the large sinks.

"Hey, Miki." A waitress called to me, I turned around and looked at her.

"Hm?"

"Will you take care of the last table, pleeeaaaaseee? I have to go right now, sorry!" She said, clasping her hands together as she bowed, in a sort of prayer. I nodded and she thanked me, before rushing out.

Sighing, I really didn't care. I just wanted to go home and mope. Because, once again, I was put in the same position where I couldn't go up. I couldn't think of anything higher to aim for. Because now my brain was in a gutter, and I had no plan, again.

I picked up the steaming platters from the chef and setting them all onto a large black dish that I balanced precariously in my hands, in my left was an easel to set the large black dish on. I strode to the last table of the day, setting the easel and the plate on it. Looking at the dishes, I named them with ease, and started to hand them to each person until―

"Oh my God! Miki is that you?!" A very familiar voice exclaimed. I looked up, I wasn't paying attention to the people before.

And there she was, Gumi, right in the flesh, lavish clothes adorning her body in fashionable ways, make-up heavy on her face, and her whole face alight with a sort of amusement.

I nearly scowled at her―was she amused at finding me working here? Amused that I had been kicked out of the academy? Amused that she was superior to me by social standing in this restaurant? But I was sure to keep up an indifferent face that had a touch of recognition, because I would get fired for sure.

"Yes, nice to see you, Gumi." I said quaintly. The other girls turned to her and whispered in giggle-y tones, 'oh my gaaawwwd, Gumi, you know this girl?' and 'whaat? A waitress?' and 'Really? Wow Gumi, you have some friends...!'

It's like they thought I was twenty feet away and I couldn't hear them, but no, I was right in front of their faces.

"I'll have your check come in soon." I said stoically, taking the large, black dish and easel and turning to go, before Gumi stopped me.

"Oh Miki, don't go! I wanted to know, what are you doing in a dumpy place like this?" She asked with the tones that popular people adopted so easily. An indifferent, pompous tone.

Last I checked, this was a high-class, expensive restaurant. So I had no idea what she meant by 'dumpy', but maybe it was because being popular meant you get rich, which probably meant that she could go to restaurants even more expensive than this.

"I work here." I stated, if that weren't obvious. I decided to omit the part of being a busboy/girl.

"What? No!" She shouted and laughed. Her friends immediately joined her laughter.

It took all my will not to stare wide-eyed at her. Either she and all her friends were drunk, or her IQ literally dropped fifty points. I just said I was working here? Or did I answer a trick question? Did I answer wrong?

"Yes, I can't spend much time talking to customers, and the restaurant will close when you leave, so I'll come back with the check." I said and immediately strode out into the kitchen, the shrill, annoying laughter of her and her friends lingering on my back like gnats. I swatted at my back out of habit as I scowled.

And when I came to the back, oh great no one was there. They really trusted _me_, to do all the work and close down? I was just the busboy/girl! Where was the manager?!

A radio from the end of the chef's chopping table was playing a static-y song. A song sung by Miku Hatsune. Oh bother. Hearing it only reminded me of the incident I last saw her. When I failed.

I walked towards it, and initially wanted to turn it off, but I remembered, this was one of Miku's first songs. The hit song she sung, a cover (and Miku never even wrote _any _of her songs anyways) of some old song in her language. I loved the tone of it, the way she sung it, and as I grew closer to the radio, I found myself singing to it.

As I was singing, I apparently didn't notice the audience I was gaining, or notice how loud I was singing it either. It was just a song I liked. A song that defined Miku's talent and potential, when she first started out. A song that I could relate to. Even if I didn't really know what it meant.

I picked the wireless radio up and stared at imploringly, still singing, and in my mind, deciding if I should turn it off or not.

I turned around and decided to carry it and sing with it to the cashier, in the kitchen, where I would print Gumi's table's check, but when I turned around...guess who?

All of Gumi's friends, including Gumi in the center, all staring at me with open mouths. And the manager staring at me with a proud grin.

I immediately dropped the radio, which broke on impact, and stopped singing, my cheeks heating. My confidence just flew out the window, and I stayed in that one spot, stuttering and sputtering, like that broken radio on the ground at my feet.

"I...I..."

"Whoa! Where'd you get _that _voice?!" The manager said, awed, grinning and applauding me. I don't know. And I couldn't tell what I was singing and whether I was singing it well or not. It was just like walking down stairs, it just happened. "You know you can rise to the top and be our weekly live entertainment singer!"

I looked nervously at Gumi and bit down on my lip. She looked like she was about to faint. And once again, the girls were whispering, this time in more hushed whispers, as if they were gossiping, but still loud enough so that I could hear them―did they even realize this? Or were they doing this on purpose or something?

What I caught was, 'whoa that's five hundred times better than you, Gumi!' and 'oh my God...' and 'that's a _Miki _and not a _Miku_, right?' Anyone would feel proud by that remark, especially after being insulted by the same girls...but not me...I was not born to be a singer...I was just an artist. That was always my true calling. I kept assuring myself that. And besides, it's not like VAA would accept an _artist _that was also an _artist_―

Wait. Let's back up there.

Artist also meant singer. I could get into VAA by singing!

Oh my God! That was a great idea!

Wait duh, Miki! I should have thought of this sooner! New plan!

"I quit!" I exclaimed, and untied my apron, setting it gently on the chopping board.

"What?!" The manager shrieked, surprised by my sudden outburst. "Do you want a raise? I can give you a raise―"

"It's nothing you did or said." I said to him, sympathetically. And with a promise in my eyes, I assured him, "I'll get someone to come back and sing for you."

And there I went, leaving all of them awe-struck and speechless, an unknown feeling of power rising inside my chest.

Oh I know who that _someone _else is. A whole knew plan was hatching in my head: This time, I would get into VAA again. I would be a singing major. I would become an airhead for fame. But I would only do it to crush Luka. Then when she was out of the way, or at least momentarily defenseless, I could get the school running back to the way it was before.

I would have to buy clothes, good clothes like Gumi's, I would have to act as sly and harsh as Luka, but as cute and elegant as Rin...I would have to reinvent myself and make a whole new image. I would need Meiko and Sweet Ann's help to pull through...

But I knew I risked becoming an airhead forever. Being exposed to this much fame and power, there was so much I could get corrupted by and so easily I could get run over by...but I knew there was no other way I could get into VAA and loosen Luka's control. I would have to go the hard way. Because if there was one thing I learned with my respective encounters with Luka Megurine and Miku Hatsune...

You never get what you want by playing nice.


	4. Chapter 4

September 9 19:22

"Oh hey, I was about to pick you up." Meiko said with faint surprise as she opened the door to me. I ran in and she closed it behind us, staring at me expectantly.

Here it was, I was about to tell her my glorious, evil plan. Well, evil with good intentions, at least. I was so happy to finally come up with a better, higher goal, and at the very least, something to do, that I had all this energy that made me want to just jump around like a bunny!

So with a deep, inhale and an open-mouthed smile, I blurted:

"Help me with something?!" Like a confused-excited idiot.

What? In my thoughts everything seemed perfect! Can I try that again?

My thoughts were going light-speed compared to the time it took to register the words I wanted to say to get to my mouth.

"Sure, with what?" Meiko asked, curious.

"I need to get back into VAA, but I finally found out how!" I exclaimed. "I just have to enroll as a singing major! Then I'll just hop in there, take the academy by storm, get all the other programs back, and then I ca―"

"You really think it's that easy?" Meiko asked me and sighed. She walked past me and grabbed a bottle of vodka off the top of the TV and sat on the couch. She motioned for me to sit down next to her.

"Well...yes. I mean, all I have to do is act and dress the part, right?" I asked. It seemed easy. I mean, really, it's not like you're putting in emotions into dancing or singing as much as you create something with your bare hands and raw creativity in painting. Right?

"Wrong." Meiko said and frowned, shaking her head. "Get your head out of the gutter, kid. Dancing takes practice. A lot of practice. And singing? I haven't heard you sing yet, but I'm not saying I don't think you're not good. You'd have to change your entire attitude and dress a lot sluttier than that―" She said and pointed at my outfit of the day: a cotton button-up shirt covered by a dark blue cardigan, and a long white skirt that hugged my knees like a beanie hat at the ends, which were made of dark blue trimming. "―you'd have to act a lot dumber, you'd have to walk on everyone, and not let anyone walk over you. First insecure secret they hear from you, first fear or feeling you get for _anyone_, and you're dead. You have to be two-faced, pretty, and dumb to be a singer that'll get as far as you want. But talent is important I guess...if you have it." She said, and took a swig from the bottle.

I sighed, she was right. Half of those were in my mind, but I figured I wouldn't have to go _this _extreme to reach my goal. What if in acting like a VAA airhead, I _became _one?

The more important thing in my head was: how did Meiko get to know so much about the music industry? Or maybe, VAA's specifically?

"Meiko, how did you know all this?" Is really what came out of a result of the multitude of thoughts I had.

She glanced at me, and then grumbled and swore under her breath. She took another swig from her bottle, and swished it around her mouth, before swallowing and looking at me. Was I still there? Yes, and I wasn't going to leave without an answer. Meiko should have known that by now.

"Okay, fine, but you tell no one." She warned, pointing a finger at me.

Not to be offensive, but who did I really have to tell? And it wasn't like she had friends she regularly brought home (besides the usual: 'oh this guy? I met him at the bar!') that I could blab about to anyway. I didn't understand what her concern was.

"I'm a VAA Alumni. Singing Major." She stated remorsely, as if she regretted it. "In fact, I used to work there as the dance professor afterwards, and helped with the major music student projects. But that was way before your time. Then I quit when this newer generation came along, and I became disinterested and..." She trailed off. What was she going to say? 'Became an alcoholic, stingy woman who refused to accept newer technology and new music?' Even though it sounded mean to me, she admitted that much to me herself, one night that she was _very _drunk.

"You went to VAA?" I instead inquired. "Really?"

I was pretty shocked. And amazed!

And that gave me more ideas!

Meiko was a dance professor and VAA alumni singing major! She could help me take back VAA!

"Yeah, it was nice, actually. Before then, everyone was paired together. No divisions on talent, no divisions on country or language. People cared about self-improvement and success, and it was all about 'following your dreams' back then. They threw around encouraging shit like that in posters and shirts and all over the campus announcements." She paused for a moment, and I hoped she didn't see the rest of my closet. It was filled with those kind of shirts. And charity, sport, and school shirts. I'm pretty sure she saw that shirt I was wearing the day she drove me to Miku's concert, it had something like 'YOU CAN DO IT!' or something like that. I completely forgot.

Then she started again, abruptly, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"But then when I came back to work as the dance professor...I noticed something. Something was different. The new kids, the newer generation was more competitive and bitchy. All of a sudden, I'd be stopping at least three cat fights a class period. The girls dressed more suggestively, and I would have to expel the men on grounds for violating school rules." At this she started to rub her temples. "One of them played a sex video while I was gone."

"Ew." I flinched in disgust. She nodded, and I urged her to continue. She was being awfully slow with this process. It took all of my very very little patience to restrain myself from screaming at her, 'Then what happened?!'

But, you know, I am the epitome of self-restraint, so I contained myself and leered at her. Which had no effect. She was staring wistfully at the vodka bottle and rotated the bottle from the neck, it's clear-ish content swirling around the bottle.

"All of a sudden, everything became war. It's not about how well you do, it's about how good you are, and how well you rub it in other people's faces. The talented never made it far. They would be wiped out by those who lusted for fame." That fitted the description of VAA today, almost. Except, at even worse levels.

"Why?" I asked her, after taking her words in for a while. "Why would they go against each other...so harshly?"

She looked up at me, as if noticing me for the first time. "Because...you know why? Because the music industry is a big world out there. There are so many people who want one thing, so many individuals who want other things. There are genres out there and languages out there we can't perform, outlive, or beat. There's just too many variety in music. And you'd _think _that would open up the positions for more new, talented singers in the music world―but it doesn't. It flattens the ground for everyone to reach their own Battle Royale until one person's out of the competition. There is no room for success by talent, other than reaching for it, killing everyone in your path."

She scooted closer to me, her shoulders seemingly heavy, and her head down. She dropped the vodka bottle and turned to me, raising her head, and staring me deep in the eyes as she grabbed my shoulders. Getting a little scared here.

"You have to _want_ it. You have to _need _it more than you want air, to survive the competition. It's not a virtue that'll get you to the top. There's no giggles and smiles in the music industry, it's all a fucking lie." She said emphatically. "I haven't seen true talent in ages." She almost laughed. "And if I did, it was covered in a bikini outfit called 'clothes' and painted with heavy makeup and with breasts the size of the moon. There's no future for this kind of thing anymore. VAA is only corrupting minds. And I barely understand why you're so interested in going back...as a _singing major _of all things!" And here she did laugh. A raucous laughter that cut through the air and made her shoulders shake as she arched her back and stuck her tongue out. She reminded me of a wolf howling into the night, except she was human, and not howling, laughing.

That _almost _made me quit. _Almost_. To have your mother-figure laugh at your face? That hurts. And I had already gone through enough pain already.

But I knew she was drunk, very so, and her mood swings and emphatic motions secured that notion. If anything, her thoughts were exaggerated by the alcohol, after all, her inhibitions were lowered...drastically.

And all she said had a point anyways. I'd have to really want to work hard on this...which I didn't, really. I just wanted to get my life back to normal, that was a normal goal, and I was a normal person. This is all supposed to be just an act so I can get my school back.

And that's exactly what I told my drunk mother-figure. "I don't want it." I said deadpan.

"Then what makes you think you can get your school back?" She asked, staring right at me. I swear, give her three more minutes and she would have made a hole through my head.

"I don't know, a few people said I sung well. And uh...well, I know I can go back into VAA by singing, I am...or I was a Japanese VOCALOID anyways." Now she was making me nervous, I played with my fingers as I glanced between Meiko and a suddenly interesting spot on the wall. Thinking about it though, no one told me much about where I came from, so I guess I could lie and say I was Japanese, and there would be no record disproving me.

Now I regretted talking to her. All of a sudden, I wanted to run away and leave the conversation. Was having a parent supposed to make you feel this way?

I didn't want to deal with this. I stood up and turned to walk to my room, when Meiko called me out.

"Do you really like art?" She asked, with visible doubt in her words.

"Yeah." I said firmly, not turning around.

"Not the answer I was looking for." She said under her breath ruefully. And she stayed in that silence for a long time.

It was already awkward enough, so I left when she didn't say anything else.

And...um...

Well it was really awkward.

Awkward awkward awkward.

What a weird word. Awkward. You know.

I slapped my forehead at my stupid thoughts as I finally entered my room, shutting the door behind me and jumping on my bed.

I'm such an awkward kid.

I lifted my head and banged it against my soft mattress.

I felt really embarrassed for some reason. And our conversation didn't go quite as planned...

Well, who cares. I decided I'd just sleep on it and confront her tomorrow.

* * *

September 10 - 04:30

What am I doing up this early?

Getting a lecture on posture by Meiko.

Why?

Oh, so she _could_ help me.

So now she tells me!

Anyways, my wake-up routine started with a very content me, sleeping peacefully in my bed, until Meiko stormed in and flung my blanket off me, yelling at me to wake up.

She's a wonderful foster mother, did I ever say that?

Then she told me, who was still half-asleep and trying to get her brain to work, that she was going to help me.

Now that we recapped the events from two minutes ago, we can talk about this:

WHAT THE HELL IT'S 4 IN THE MORNING!

I decided against saying that aloud. Meiko was strict against cursing, even though she had very unique lines of them and used them constantly around me, giving me the same excuse for this odd loophole: 'You're all around it anyways'.

"...slouching can cause scoliosis, or worse diseases...!" She went on.

And on.

And on.

Why was this important?

I didn't know. I was drifting between my thoughts and my attention to her. I really, _really _wanted to go back to sleep.

"No no no!" She said with a frown while shaking her head, every 'no' she said. She came forward and pushed my shoulders back, which were slouched forward before, and my back straightened, as my chest bounced forward, and the strain in my shoulders surfaced. It was too odd for my body to have a normal posture, when I was so used to slouching (being an artist meant little comfort in the chair/back support department). She smiled.

"That's better. You have to keep it like this at least 17 hours a day." She said.

What? My shoulders were already starting to hurt!

She went on to a new topic...clothes. I slouched once she switched topics, but she immediately cut off whatever she was talking about to fix my posture with her hands..

"I've noticed the fashion changes between then and now..." She said as she tapped her index finger against her chin, staring at either walls of my room as she paced back and forth before me. "Now I see girls wearing shorter shorts, colorful bras, and expose their breasts and backsides _a lot_ more."

I blushed at this, what...was I _really _going to have to wear shorter clothing? Wouldn't that make me look like I was from a brothel?

Well, Luka looked like that...and I was supposed to take her down...but I could be beautiful in other ways, right? Like just wear longer, less-exposing fashionable clothes. Right?

"What about those girls in the windows of clothing stores?" I asked desperately. I barely wore _capris_, what would make her think I would wear short shorts? "You know, those models that are really skinny, but wear actual clothes?"

She gave Miki a contemplative stare, before shaking her head seriously. "It would never work, especially when it comes to singing...speaking of which, I've never heard you sing yet!" She said and put her hands on her hips, pursing her lips and giving me a serious look.

A bit flustered, I leaned back and became nervous under her gaze.

"Uhh..." I stammered. "I-I don't think I'm _that _good, but um..."

She rolled her eyes. "Great! You're too shy too. I forgot about that. We need to knock some confidence in you. Your whole attitude matters in singing, you can't sing if you're too nervous. That would be a terrible result."

Gee, thanks for the encouragement. But at least I wouldn't have to sing in front of her, I was really scared of that prospect.

"Okay, so today I'll just lecture you on some good music tips, we'll come up with plans..." She said and listed more things, which only confused me, but I could see her gaze and mind were somewhere else, she was organizing and making plans all over in her head. "Two days is when we'll go shopping for clothes, we'll have to break in your high heels the day after...Dancing will start tomorrow and continue until the day of your audition. Hmmm, we need some event to make a big entrance with. Give me ideas, kid, do you have any school festivals during this time of the year?"

I thought of it for a minute, before coming up with only two:

"Fire Festival on the 23rd and Halloween on the 31st." I answered immediately, inwardly trying to decide which would be best for myself as well. "I suppose it's time to pick my poison..."

"Halloween." Meiko said. "Halloween is perfect, I can get you a good outfit and everything. I'm working out the choreography in my head right now, and the singing would be good too."

I scrunched my nose. Oh _God _this would be _really _hard. Gumi didn't look that slutty, and she was an A-list VOCALOID now, right?

"Slutty...uh, I don't want to be slutty. Girls shouldn't be slutty." I said to her, in an innocent tone. Really, the thoughts of this were killing me. Even saying the words.

Imagine me, in shorts that went up to my butt, a see through shirt that cropped above my belly, and a brightly colored bra showing from underneath my shirt, and my hair down and make-up making me look so perfect it's disgusting.

I think anyone would shudder at that image.

"You think Luka became the school's unofficial head by being _nice_? Guess again kid, if you want to beat her, you have to be _better, sluttier, and dumber_ than her. Oh but by dumb, I always mean a surface image, the real thing is underneath your mask. You'd have to be cunning. I hope you're as smart to make evil plans, kid, or else you're going to be taking a lot of bathroom breaks calling me for help." She said.

For a while, we said nothing to each other. I was still in shock of finally coming to terms of what I _really _had to do, I really had to go this far-out, this extreme, to get what I want. And I would have to become worse than Luka. Did I really need to go this far to save my school?

Then I remembered Sweet Ann, and all the other kids that were expelled because of stupid reasons.

This was not for me, not me going to save _my _school.

This was for them.

I was going to save _our _school.

"I'll do it. I'll do whatever it takes." I vowed, but biting my lip, I was concerned that this would go too far. But I let go of my lip and licked my mouth, I had to start building up my confidence, like Meiko said, if I wanted to get far.

"What did you say?" Meiko asked me, leaning in closer to me with expectant eyes. Even though I knew she heard me.

I finally realized what she wanted me to say now, and what she wanted me to say last night, when she asked me if I loved painting.

I clenched my fists, and gave her the most serious look I had ever given anyone, my eyes hardening, my face tightening, and my lips pursing, as I said in a deeper tone:

"I'll do _whatever _it takes to save VAA."

* * *

September 19 - 14:31

"You're going to actually _do that_?" Ann asked me incredulously, placing her drink back on the table and opening her mouth in shock. Her Australian accent lightly colored her words, although I always warned her that she, or her speech, became a completely different person when she talked in..._Strine_. I didn't think these kind of accents in English were even possible.

I nodded slowly, sipping my coke slowly. It had been a while until I decided what I wanted to do. I hadn't been able to tell her earlier, because Meiko had been working me to death with dance practice.

But this just had to be done, and I hope she understood that.

"But that's risking it, mate!" She exclaimed. Her arms flailed in the air. "I can lose you, and you're a painting major anyways!"

She was right, even though she didn't say it, the undertone was clear, I didn't know much about singing or dancing as well as she did, but there was no choice for me. I didn't say anything yet, I was too worried she would burst into tears or exclaim in shock again. She took advantage of my silence to say more of how she felt though.

"Listen here, we can go find another school. I'm sure there's a multi-talent art school out here somewhere!" She said and put her hand on my shoulder comfortingly. But I still frowned. "Luka's gained too much influence, and you know that, it would be more of our morals and image at stake here. Who knows what kinds of people she has under her influence...she could easily get us expelled from the country!"

But I felt she was exaggerating, if only by a little bit. She was right about Luka having an influence out of the school. What pressed me more, was the fact that she was giving up. We couldn't now.

"We can't give up. This is the only way we can try. And you know, this is why I'm telling you. I need someone to ground me to reality, even when I sink to the deepest pits of fame. I _know_ I'll get sucked into that world, I just need help getting out. That's why I called to tell you this today." I said. It was likely I would get caught up with fame.

It happened to the best of them―Gumi, Rin, and talk about Miku and Luka! I seriously thought Miku was pretty nice, just look at her songs and you'd see the innocent, lovely girl that sings about heartfelt emotions. Luka's more bold, but the same. But when I met Miku...it was like a sudden personality flip, she wasn't bipolar was she? She _seemed _so nice. Not so much in real life.

She looked up at me with all seriousness, but I felt some of that stern anger fade and the kindness that made her easily friend-able come back in her eyes. She looked away from me, staying silent, thinking over things.

"I...I want you to do this. I really hate that you're doing this, for me, for yourself, and for everyone else. It seems a bit unfair, you know? You never did anything, and all of us who stomped on your department are fighting for us now? I never thought I'd see it in a million years." She said and laughed nervously.

I rolled my eyes. "Who have _you _ever stomped on?" She was too nice, literally.

"Oh...well I usually classify all of us singing majors into one group, and the singing majors are known to stomp on people...Luka being the prime example." She said and shrugged. "I don't like to stomp on people...because I know it's wrong. Even if I never become popular, I will always continue to be truthful and simple. I don't want to wear less than I already am to get more attention and I don't want to be 'perfect' or appeal to anyone else outside of my own talents."

What she listed above was the exact opposite of how Luka was still 'famous'.

No wonder no one had ever heard of her, people were being to brain-dead with the people on the cover, they didn't realize true, nice talent underneath.

I wouldn't have thought this if Miku were at least a lot nicer, you know.

"But..." I said with a shaky sigh. "I'll have to be doing a lot of the opposite to take our school back. I'm selfish to say that I want to have the painting majors back...but now I know what's more important. This school for all of us." I said.

And today became the first time in my entire life for me to be hugged by my friend.


End file.
